The Heir of the Dead
by BlueStarlord1519
Summary: Marco Diaz never realized how special he was until he found a sugar skull mask in his room. He thinks nothing of it until Star leaves and he is taken to the Land of the Remembered after La Muerte's death. Years pass and soon Marco finds Star coming to him for help to save her kingdom. Can Marco help her without letting his feelings get in the way? Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a crossover that I thought of after watching the Star Vs. The Forces of Evil episode Blood Moon Ball. I couldn't get over how much Marco's Day of the Dead mask reminded me of the movie Book of Life and thus this fanfiction was born. This is my first fanfiction EVER and I have a lot of plans for this fic! I do not own Star or Marco (they are property of Disney as I'm sure you know) and I definitely did not create the world of Book of Life or it's characters (that all belongs to Jorge Gutierrez).**

La Muerte looked out into the starry night sky and took a shallow, yet calming breath of the chilly air as she held an object gingerly to her chest. Her eyes took in the sleepy houses, cars, and suburban peace nestled in the Echo Creek, California that was so incredibly different from the small village and now town of San Angel, Mexico where the Queen of the Land of the Remembered made her home below its centuries old cobble streets and winding roads. Nearly three centuries had passed since the wager she had made with her then estranged husband Xibalba, King of the Land of the Forgotten, had resulted in Manolo Sanchez's death and subsequent resurrection, Manolo's marriage to Maria Posada, and La Muerte's reconciliation with her husband. It seemed as if the story of Manolo Sanchez had ended happily and as far as he knew it had.

However, his revival faced many obstacles and almost wouldn't have transpired if La Muerte hadn't found a loophole hidden deep within her agreement with not just Xibalba, but with Manolo. Manolo hadn't known, but by being chosen as a champion and favored victor of the beautiful Goddess of Death, he had become bound to her in a way that was similar to a parent and child. This bond would originally have broken once the wager was over, but because Manolo had died and needed to return quickly to the Land of the Living, La Muerte did the only thing possible in order to guarantee his return to life. She bound Manolo Sanchez and all of his subsequent children, grandchildren, and so on to her for all eternity, therefore making them her heirs.

While being bound to an immortal goddess might not seem like a terrible burden, it carried many repercussions of which La Muerte wished she could have spared the poor family and the person it would one day affect. One day, once La Muerte either perished or chose to relinquish her hold to the throne of her kingdom, a living Sanchez child would have to take the throne and rule the Land of the Remembered without any choice. If they refused, the Land of the Remembered would cease to exist and only chaos would exist in the afterlife, a far cry from the peace and happiness weary souls deserved. And because that child would be a Sanchez and would have a heart of gold, they wouldn't refuse and would become an immortal god or goddess, leaving behind any hopes, dreams, or loved ones in the Land of the Living to become a bridge between the living and the dead.

That's why, as the village of San Angel, both living and dead, celebrated the wedding no one expected but were jubilant had transpired, La Muerte could only smile sadly, for she knew the price that had been paid in order for the scene before her to exist. A young man or woman whose existence was still far off in the future, had essentially been sacrificed and bound to an immortal life they would not want just so their very existence, and of those before them, could even have come to be. It was a heavy cross to bear and La Muerte knew that if Manolo had know this damning fate would befall one of his descendents, he never would have tried to come back to the Land of the Living, which was exactly why she hadn't told him and didn't tell him until he had joined his family in the Land of the Remembered. He was angry, which was understandable, and greatly hurt that La Muerte hadn't told him the cost of his revival but eventually understood why he had to live and save the town and its people. Otherwise, everything would have been lost in San Angel and an invincible mad man would have gone on a rampage throughout Mexico.

Now, nearly three hundred years after the Sanchez wedding in San Angel and decades of watching over generations of Sanchez family members, La Muerte was dying. She had often been challenged for her throne by many low ranking gods from every dimension since the beginning of her reign thousands of years ago and had always managed to succeed in driving them off, with it very rarely having to conclude with a physical confrontation. However, the most recent challenger had come to her realm seeking her throne and was willing to do anything to achieve his goal. For nearly three days she fought him, taking many forms and using many tactics trying to hold him off, but to no avail. At the last moment of the battle, the man, no creature, held his sword to the throat of the half dead Queen and she knew she would either die at his hand or have to turn to drastic measures. She chose the second option and using the last bit of her godly power, banished the monster to a dimension far from her own. She recovered physically from her ordeal, but the underlying damage was irreversible. She had drained her goddess core, the part of her soul that kept her immortal and healed any mortal wounds, and now only had a few years left to live, much to the agony of her husband and subjects.

However, inevitable death did not frighten La Muerte and she knew that wherever she ended up, she would be at peace and without pain. She was a Queen and would greet death just as graceful and fearlessly as she had ruled her kingdom. Fear, however, was what was driving her to the roof of the Sanchez child destined to take her place. She feared that he would hate her for gambling his life, for taking away his future, his family. She also feared the monster that had no name would return and hurt the young boy who would become King of the Land of the Remembered, and would die due to her inability to take the creatures life and carelessness on her part. Tired of being hesitant and curiosity driving out all sense of dread, La Muerte transformed into Marigold petals and drifted into the room of one Marco Ubaldo Sanchez Diaz, the future King of her beloved realm.

He was fast asleep with a small line of drool forming on the pillow below his mouth, causing the dying Queen to smile lightly. He had light brown, messy hair with a beauty mark on the right side of his face. He appeared to be only about 14 years of age and was lanky and in the awkward transition between childhood and adulthood. While he appeared to take after his father in appearance, the heart he possessed was very much a Sanchez one, one that he had inherited from his mother and a long line of ancestors. She gently moved a bit of his hair away from his face with her pale white hand and felt feelings of regret, joy, and sorrow overtake her as she bent on her knees.

As tears rolled down her beautiful, sugar skull face from the bright yellowish-red coals that were her eyes, as she spoke softly to the slumbering child. "Oh mijo, lo siento. Marco, I hope one day you can forgive me for the life you will one day have. I regret taking away your dreams, your future, your family," she paused as she took in a shuttering breath and swallowed. "I can see bits and pieces of the future that will come to be and see nothing but you becoming an amazing ruler, beloved by all. However there will be obstacles and sometimes you may doubt yourself, but you need not fear. Your are brave and courageous and will always persevere despite the odds." She then chuckled lightly and said softly, "I also know that you will soon meet an energetic princess who will one day become your best friend and maybe, something more if you chose to let your feelings for her grow." She stood up and slowly walked towards the open window, placed an object on the nightstand beside Marco's bedside, and finally felt ready to return home before she paused and looked back. She smiled sadly and said, "We will never met again Marco Diaz. But as long as I am still alive, I will continue to watch over you and your family, mijo. Adios, futuro rey." With that last statement, La Muerte launched herself out the window in a flurry of Marigolds, back towards Mexico and her beloved realm.

Whenever Marco awoke that morning he was greatly confused to find flower petals all about his room and a Los Dios de Los Muertes mask left on his nightstand. He simply shrugged and began to prepare for another day of school, not realizing that that day at Echo Creek Academy he would met a princess by the name of Star Butterfly or that in 2 years time, his world would be turned upside down and nothing, not even all the dimension jumping adventures Marco would go on with Star could prepare him for the world that he was going to be thrown forcefully and unwilling into. Instead Marco took the sugar skull mask carefully in his hands, examined it, and walked downstairs with his backpack and the mask in tow, where both his parents claimed to have never seen the mask before and the Diaz family forgot about its strange appearance as they talked about the day to come.


	2. Chapter 2

**So sorry this took awhile but I just moved into my new apartment and moving is a totally drain on a person's energy. I'm going to try and update every few days, but being an engineering major and taking summer classes will possibly make things difficult. None the less, I will continue with this story no matter what. No retreat, no surrender! Enjoy this new chapter!**

In the normally tranquil cemetery of the centuries old town of San Angel, citizens of the town of all ages were gathered for a special day of the year that had the usually dark cemetery in a flurry of activity, laughter, and light. For today was Dia de Los Muertos and all beloved lost ones were to be remembered and cherished on this special occasion. Children placed special sweetened breads and favorite foods of a beloved parent, grandparent, friend, or even a pet along with glowing candles and an endless supply of marigolds on every single grave. On this night, although unseen to the living, the dead walked among the festivities, laughing and celebrating with their still living friends and families all through the night.

With all the marigold petals floating around in the cool, October night it was no surprise that one particular patch of petals was unnoticed by the townspeople as they soared through the air and up to the steeple of the church. In a flash, the petals vanished revealing a man unseen by the people below watching the festivities beneath him with a small smile on his face.

The man, tall and imposing to all who met him and revered by those he ruled, was wearing blood red mariachi attire with black boots and skulls adorning the suit in black, yellow, and white colors. On his head was a large hat that was as red as the suit with candles along the brim, never falling off and never becoming unlit. The most peculiar part of this man was not his attire but the appearance he had. His skin, made from white sugar, was adorned with intricate symbols and his face was adorned with the bright colors one would find on a sugar skull decorated for the dead. His eyes, which had once been a warm chocolate color, now burned a yellowish-red light. These eyes as piercing as they were were only filled with kindness and a slight sadness as he looked out from his perch high above the crowd.

Tonight was night he wished he could spend back with his parents back home in California, not in Mexico. As the King of the Land of the Remembered, El Muerte (or as he once know as Marco Diaz) he had certain responsibilities he had to attend to in San Angel, which included making sure his mother's side of the family, the Sanchez's, were never forgotten and that the people were safe from any troublesome spirits that enjoyed tormenting the living rather than enjoying the festivities.

Nights like this, where families were reunited and happy, made El Muerte's heart sink as he imagined being with his parents again and possibly, Star again. At the thought of the Mewni princess, El Muerte could only chuckle as he remembered her silliness and utter joy at everything dealing with Earth. She had come to Earth when he once merely 14, and effectively turned his world upside down with crazy dimensional adventures and puppies with laser eyes. Those days however had come to an end when he was 16 and Star had been ordered back home without explanation. El Muerte hadn't even gotten a proper goodbye from her, just a sad look and turned back as she stepped through the portal that led her to her home dimension. El Muerte was so rapped up in his memories that he didn't hear the flap of wings or the footsteps of a figure beside him.

"Viewing the commoners tonight are we my boy," spoke a low, gravely, and slightly amused ancient voice. El Muerte rolled his eyes at the voice and said, "Good evening Xibalba. I thought you hated going out on nights like this. You know, the ones where everyone is happy and not in pain?" Xibalba came to rest at El Muerte's side, chulkled and said, "While nights of confusion and agony are my preferred nights of being out and I do enjoy ruining everyone's good time on nights like this, I actually came out here to check on you." El Muerte felt a rush of annoyance at his words and said hotly,"I understand your concern my Lord but don't you have something better to do, like torturing your citizens?" "No need for the formalities my boy. Frankly, they are quite annoying especially since we are gods of similar realms. And yes, while I do have FAR more important things to do, I wished to check on you to make sure you don't do anything rash. Your family has a long history of doing things and regretting them later."

El Muerte stayed silent at Xibalba's words as he looked at the families gathered below. Then, he spoke. "I know I can make myself look as I once did as a human. I know I can lie to them and tell them I'm coming home to stay. I could even make them forget I existed to spar them the pain of my absence. But, the selfish part of me won't let any of that happen simply because I'm afraid of losing them." Xibalba sighed in exasperation and stated, "I've told you time and time again the choice is yours. You will be alive until the end of time, so you need to make a decision that you can live with." Xibalba paused and spoke softly as he said" Don't regret not doing anything at all either. I regret the years I lost with my wife when we were separated by petty bets and arguments." He looked out over the crowd and said, "I'll watch the commoners while you make your yearly trip." El Muerte looked at Xiblba and cracked a smile as he said, "Is the great Xiblaba getting a soft spot for me?" Xiblaba merely rolled his eyes and flicked his hand as he said, "Of course not. I just enjoy tormenting the living when I'm not being scolded for my actions by a certain heir of the dead." El Muerte snorted and disappeared into a flurry of marigold petals as the god made his way towards Echo Creek, towards home. Xiblaba watched the petals disappear out into the night and made sure El Muerte was far away before he too disappears into a flurry of dark feathers. He felt no guilt at lying to the boy. After all, he did have somewhere important to be.

Quiet voices echoed in the throne room as the King and Queen of Mewni spoke softly about disturbing news that they had just received from a messenger. The Queen paced back and forth and rung her hands as she spoke to her equally as distraut husband.

"What if what the messenger said is true! This means that what will come to Mewni will surely be the end of our kingdom and all the people in it," said the Queen in a panicked voice. "Sending any of our troops to fight would be surely sending them to certain death. I feel that we need to consult with someone far more powerful than us to help us combat this threat, or face utter destruction." The King, looking absolutely looking bewildered said, "Who could possibly have that sort of power? The power to help combat the living dead?"

From the darkness, a voice spoke. "I believe that myself and my fellow associate could be of some assistance, your Majesties." The King and Queen spun around to where the voice emitted, with the Queen standing tall and stating loudly, "Who are you? And how could you possibly help us?" From the darkness, two red skull eyes flashed, sending chills down the two monarchs' spines. "Lets just say that I have a certain…occupation that would prove helpful to your cause. All I ask is that you send your daughter, Star Butterfly, as the representative for your kingdom."

The King and Queen looked at one another warily as the King mustered a response to their strange visitor's seemingly heaven sent assistance. "And…if we refuse?" The voice in the darkness merely chuckled as is said, "It would appear that you are not in a position that you can afford to say no without accepting death as your only other option." The King and Queen's eyes widened in horror as they gazed on the figure the voice belonged to. With sharp teeth and tarred wings, the God of the Land of the Forgotten, Xibalba, was truly a sight to behold. He did tell El Muerte he had somewhere else to be

He grinned wickedly at the monarchs' horrified expressions, extended his hand and stated, "So…..do we have a deal?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow I never really expected anyone to enjoy this story as much as y'all seem to! Thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement! I'm heading to a baseball game tonight for my university (let's see who can figure out where I'm a student at!) Anyway, enjoy this chapter and keep the reviews coming! If any of y'all have ideas about where y'all want the story to go, just let me know!**

If there was one thing in the world Star Butterfly that she could never understand about her parents (among about another bazillion other things), it why they ever made her leave Echo Creek and the Diaz family behind. Her mother said it was due to the destruction of the wand and the fact that as its wielder, Star needed to be home as effort to repair it were being done. Her father told her to go ask her mother (go figure there), so she never truly was able to get a straight answer. She knew her mother was lying and that another reason must be possible.

She wondered sometimes, as she laid in her room at night, if her departure from Earth had been a result of her blossoming relationship with Marco. By the time she had left, she had long gotten over Oskar, realizing his personality was only skin deep and had long banded Tom from seeing her again. She knew she had feelings for Marco since the Blood Moon Ball, but had not acted on her feelings for the two years that followed after that fateful night, something she had come to regret. She had only been 16, so devastated by having to leave that when the news that Marco had vanished only a few weeks later, that it nearly shattered her. She survived after the months of mourning for a love that had never been hers, but was never quite the same. After 4 years, she hardly ever slept at night, constantly having nightmares about Marco and his fate.

Her parents knew this and that's why at first it didn't surprise Star to hear her mother and father come through her bedroom door, as they did sometimes late at night to speak to her. It wasn't until she rolled over and sat up on her bed that she realized the reason her parents weren't there for a simple chat. Her mother's usually pristine and emotionless face was taunt with worry and she rung her hands nervously, a sign of anxiety Star had come to notice in her mother's mannerisms. Her father didn't look much better and actually refused to met his daughter's eyes. One look was all it took for her stomach to drop and say in a low voice, "Mom, Dad, what's wrong? Is the kingdom under attack?" Her parents looked at each other and Star's optimism about the situation dropped as her mother sighed and said, "Star you need to understand something. Your father and I love you very dearly. The kingdom is…" Her mother choked up for a second and tears actually escaped her eyes as she spoke again shakily. "The kingdom is in dire danger. Your father and I were approached by an individual who says that he and another can help us. But, there was a price sweetheart…..We didn't have a choice I'm so ,so sorry." Her mother looked away from Star and began to weep into her hands. At this moment, Star realized somehow this deal involved her. She swallowed and looked at her father a shakily said, "What did you and Mother agree to?" At his lack of response, she rose up off her bed and yelled loudly, "WHAT DID YOU DO!" Her Father spoke softly as he looked into his daughter's eyes and Star stepped back at the visible anguish in his eyes. "I'm sorry Star but in order for the deal to be sealed, we had to agree to send you with the individual and not return to Mewni unless permitted. You are to leave tomorrow." At this Star actually laughed at the unfairness of her life, and put her hands to her face as her laughter became sobs. All the while, I figure watched the display from her window, his eyes twinkling in amusement. Xibalba turned away as the girl began to sob. "Oh sweet princess, I'm actually doing you a favor. You will see soon enough." He then vanished, and returned to his realm of the Land of the Forgotten, where he spent the rest of Dia de Los Muertos gleefully waiting for his plan to unfold.

Sometimes, El Muerte liked to pretend what it was like to be human again. His accession to the throne and his upgrade to godhood all went by so quickly that at the time, he wasn't able to truly fathom just what he was losing. He missed the feeling of being cold in the winter and being hot in the summer. He never got to experience the joy of graduating from high school or going to college. And due to the fact that gods of death ted to live forever, he knew he could never fall in love. At least, not again. One of the biggest things he missed about being human was his parents. His longing to be home brought him back to Echo Creek every Dia de Los Muertos, even though his better judgment told him not to.

He found himself manifesting in the house at the entrance and immediately felt nostalgia take him back to the last night he spent here at home with his family. It was actually the 4th anniversary of his godhood and the day he lost so many normal things he should have been entitled to, had his future not already been planned out for him centuries before. He peeked around the corner and saw his parents holding on to one another, almost desperately, as they gazed down at his altar. This surprised El Muerte, especially since in the years past there hadn't been an altar dedicated to him. His stomach sank as he cold realization swept through his body, that they finally believed that he was truly dead and not missing. This hurt him more than becoming a god ever could have.

Against his better judgment, his hand slowly began to reach toward his mother's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her somehow, when the sound of her quiet sobs caused him to freeze in place. Once he heard her crying, and his father following soon after her, he knew that he needed to leave. All plans of revealing himself that night, of explaining what had happened to him halted the moment he realized how much pain he had caused them. If he told them he was alive and that he had the ability to come back to them, he was positive it would only cause them more pain and suffering in return.

Cursing his stupidity, the god of death turned away and disappeared from his family's home and toward San Angel in a flurry of marigolds, leaving behind two weeping parents, too busy mourning to notice that their window was now open and letting in a soft smell of marigolds.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry that this is so late but I was very busy, plus everything happening in Orlando really made me want to enjoy being around my family this weekend. I hope you are all sending prayers for all of those poor people and their families. Nothing like that ever should happen. Anyway, I apologize for leaving y'all in suspense and I hope ya'll enjoy!**

Xibalba was old. Very old in fact. He had been around since the beginning of time, since the dawn of creation, and there were still things that he didn't quite understand. He couldn't understand the ways of the living, because he had never been apart of their world, so instead he found enjoyment in making deals over their fates, especially if it involved life or death stakes. In the thousands of years that he and his wife (another part of his life he didn't understand how it came to be), sometimes he won or his wife won and ocassionally, one of their chosen perished due to their meddling. His wife would always be distraught if her chosen met an unfortunate end and wouldn't make another bet for over a century at least. Xibalba, however, felt little guilt if his chosen died and simply brushed it off as a bump in the road or a would mutter, "I knew they were a bad choice."

He knew his attitude towards the lives of the innocent might seem callous or cruel (his deceased wife was one of them), but Xibalba simply didn't care. After living for eons, he had watched many civilizations and empires rise and fall, with many innocent living people the main casualty every single time. As he aged, he became more and more resilient to the pains of man and could block out their cries of anguish simply as if one was blocking out an annoying conversation. Xibalba knew he was a monster to the eyes of man. But he also knew that after being alive for so long and losing everything he cared about, he simply did not care.

The only person who ever saw him as something other than a monster was La Muerte, the love of his long life. Her red smile and delicate white sugar skin made him love her even more during the time that they seemingly hated one another. Her loss had been a huge blow to his happiness and he resented her slightly for not letting him just whiter away, but making him promise on her death to watch over her heir. Her heir, the Sanchez boy. Marco Diaz.

Xibalba never did hate the boy. He couldn't, for the boy reminded him far to much of his beloved wife and he begrudgingly had come to see him as his son during his time as the new ruler of the Land of the Remembered. It was due to this simple fact that Xibalba found himself surprisingly concerned about the boy's well being and his desire to love and be loved in return. He had spoke to the boy many times when he was homesick and one name stuck with Xibalba, since it was repeated by the young ruler so many times in his ramblings.

Princess Star Butterfly, a living girl. Mortal, yet she yielded the power of magic of her home dimension. Xibalba waited for the right time and when the first opportunity presented itself to bring this girl to El Muerte, he seized it, even if it was under false pretenses and false hope.

Yes, Xibalba had no intentions whatsoever to help the doomed Mewni kingdom. He had come there searching for his prize and after centuries of deal making, felt nothing as he bluntly lied to Star's desperate parents (after all he said he would speak to the other ruler about helping (not that he ever intended to tell the boy), not that HE would help). All Xibalba cared about was that he had secured the one person who would make the Land of the Remembered's ruler happy for eternity. Xibalba might be called heartless, but he simply just reserved it for those he cared about.

He returned to his gloomy castle with a satisfied smirk on his face and walked into the throne room, where a servant immediately came to his side. He glanced at the servant and said, "Emilio, please send a carriage for Princess Butterfly to the Mewni Kingdom." The servant bowed and spoke eagerly, "Of course your majesty, and she is to return here?" The ruler looked at this hand as he spoke, "No, have the carriage arrive in the Land of the Remembered and tell El Muerte I send my regards." The servant looked up confused and said confused, "Sire, I don't understand. You wish for the carriage and the Princess to go to El Muerte?" Xibalba rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yes Emilio, the Princess AND the carriage will go to El Muerte. Now do as I say." The servant quivered in fear before bowing again and quickly saying "Right away your majesty," and racing out of the room.

Xibalba sighed as he relaxed in his throne and closed his eyes relaxed. He knew he was running lives, but he did not care. After all, wasn't he a monster?

Star didn't realize she had the ability to keep her tears in for as long as she had that morning. She had always know that as a Princess and as the heir to her kingdoms throne, there was always a possibility for an arranged marriage for peace. Years of living on Earth had made her forget about the downsides to being royal and how little freedom she actually had when it came to her happiness and choice in marriage. She at least had expected some type of warning, not a night to prepare for a drastic change in her life. Not even her parents knew what the old God of Death wanted with her, but they couldn't lose the chance to save their kingdom. She was just the bargaining chip in the deal.

Her mother and father seemed more composed than the night before, even though their sad eyes betrayed their true emotions. Star was in one of her best traveling dresses as she came down with servants carrying a few more of her bags for the trip. She refused to cry, even though all she wanted to do was scream and sob about the unfairity of it all. She was a Princess and damn it she refused to be weak. Pony Head had made a special trip to Mewni to see her off and even though her jokes were light hearted, she looked like she was about to fall apart.

Star's luggage was all packed up on the carriage as she found herself in the interior looking only forward as the door was shut, cutting her off from her home possibly forever. She barely held back a sob as the driver took off and made a portal to an unknown world, far from everything Star knew. All she could feel was a numb detachment as bright lights blurred by the window.

El Muerte woke up the morning after Dia de Los Muertos with what could only be described as a headache out of hell. His head felt like he had been trampled on by a dozen bulls. He sighed as his aching head protested against his body rising out of his bed and put one white sugar hand to his forhead in an attempt to stop the pounding and dizziness. One thing he had discovered after becoming a God was that while he could never die by normal means, he could get colds, break bones, and yes get drunk.

He knew he shouldn't have drank so much, but after returning from the Land of the Living with a heavy heart after seeing his parent's memorial for him, he had felt the need to let loose and forget about his breaking heart. He found the Sanchez family having a feast in the palace dining hall and quickly joined in on the festivities and found himself in drinking contests with his ancestors. Needless to say, it was a decision his head and stomach regretted greatly.

Amelia, a loyal servant who knew about his exploits the night before, came into his room with a hangover remedy that worked wonders, and sat it on the table beside his bed. She looked at his grimacing face and chuckled, "Looks like someone regrets that one more drink," He grimaced at her words and said, "Ok, you were right, and I was wrong. Now stop talking so loudly." Amelia rolled her eyes as she handed him the drink and began walking to the door. "Well, you better sober your royal drunkness, because we have a carriage arriving this morning with a guest." El Muerte took a sip of the hangover remedy and looked up confused. "A guest? Who could it possibly be? I don't remember having any visiting gods or meeting to deal with." Amelia shrugged her shoulders and said, "It's beyond me El Muerte, but I did hear a rumor it had something to do with Xibalba." She turned and walked out of the room as El Muerte finished the drink and prepared for his day.

"Great, just great. I have to deal with a surprise guest that Xibalba sent and I don't even know why." He quickly dressed and ran his hands over his face in exasperation as he imagined exactly who he might have to deal with that day. He sighed as he opened his room's doors and walked out through the palace halls as he headed to the front of the castle to great the carriage when it arrived. He walked outside and found Amelia out there as well with a few other women servants.

Confused, he glanced at Amelia and said, "Amelia why are there other servants out here?" Amelia smirked as she looked at him and said innocently, "Oh you don't know? Well apparently our guest is a young lady from a neighboring dimension." "What!" shrieked the startled King. "How, why would Xibalba….wait" Suddenly El Muerte knew exactly what this was about. Xibablba had been trying to get him to find a bride for over a year now and had threatened to find him one if El Muerte didn't. "It would appear, "El Muerte said as the candles on his shoulder and hat began to turn a bluish hue, "that Xibalba has made good on his threat." Amelia merely chuckled at his growing rage and said good naturedly, "Relax, you may like her," as the carriage landed in front of the castle. "After if you choose to, you can always head over to the Land of the Forgotten and give Xibalba a swift kick in the rear." El Muerte chuckled, part from the joke and part from anxiety, as the footman came down from the carriage and proceeded to open the carriage's door. "I suppose you are right." He cleared his throat and bowed as he prepared to great their guest as her feet made contact with the ground.

"It is a pleasure my lady to welcome you to my humble kingdom, the Land of the Remembered. I am the ruler of this realm and my name is…."

"Marco?" came the quiet, stunned voice.

El Muerte's head whipped up quickly as he found himself looking at a face with heart cheeks he never thought he'd see again.

"Star?" he whispered, as he looked at her. If his face was not already a pure sugar white, he would have became pale as he found himself looking at the Princess of Mewni.

Amelia watched the stunned royals and whispered softly with concern. "Oh Xibalba what have you done?"

 **DUN DUN DUN!**

 **Yes, cliffhanger (sorry!) I know you might be questioning Amelia's worry but you will understand soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am so sorry I didn't update sooner! Classes and exams got to me and before I knew it it was July! I hope ya'll have stuck with me and this story and I hope to have a new chapter up in a few days after this one! Also, if you want an idea of what Marco looks like as El Muerte, look up Manolo in a switched role as La Muerte. He's my model, just without the fancy hair. Enjoy!**

Star Butterfly was a naturally outgoing person, a person who could easily converse with any visiting royals that found their way to Mewni. Her exuberance and excitement over almost anything new or interesting left either an impression of annoyance or respect on her guests, but visitors rarely left an impression on the young princess in return. Only her closest friends and family (or enemies) ever gained the honor of remaining in her passing thoughts.

Marco had been dull at first, unwilling to indulge her adventurous side or her crazy adventures and became very close to becoming one of those visitors in her life that became nothing more than a passing memory. Marco, however, ended up surprising her. He became more interested in her world and became more willing to go with her on adventures and quests. As they became more used to one another, Star began to notice things about Marco that her highly active mind had never allowed her to do before. First, he liked the color red, as he always wore the same crimson hoodie and was rarely seen without it at any given time. Second, he seemed bound and determined to protect her, even though Star worried more about him then he ever knew. He didn't have magic after all. Finally, he had beautiful brown eyes.

In Mewni, the colors ranged from greens to blues to purples, but the color brown was rarely seen unless it was the color of cloth or the soil. Brown eyes, therefore, were almost nonexistent. His brown eyes were different from those shades on Mewni though. His brown was dark and light at the same time and almost seemed to change shades with his emotions. Even when Star was forced to leave Earth and Marco behind, she found she couldn't forget his eyes and the way they once looked at her. No matter how hard she tried, she could never find the shade of brown she wanted in Mewni, and instead took 3 months trying to recreate the color herself, to no avail. Instead, the color haunted her dreams.

Marco's eyes are the first thing that come to her mind when she hears his voice, although it is deeper and more grown up than she remembers. He's dressed in finery that is the color red, something that Star finds reassuring in this situation. She feels calm until he lifts his head in shock when she says his name, his large hat nearly falling off at the sudden speed. Then, shock and muted horror grip her mind and her facial features.

His skin, once a tan color with scars, was now a snow white color that seemed to sparkle in the light. The red suit, she realized, was in the style of a mariachi outfit she once remembered Marco wearing to the Blood Moon Ball with skulls and yellow accents making the suit look extremely delicate, yet sturdy. On the skin there are symbols and patterns that snake up everywhere on his body and across his face. His face looked like one of the sugar skulls she remembered Marco showing, with bright colors adorning his eyes and accenting his features. However, all of the astonishing changes couldn't compare to the startling change in his eyes. His eyes, once a warm brown that she never forgot, were replaced with a strange red-yellowish color that seemed to glow. It was almost too much for Star to bear. She took a step back from the shocked monarch in front of her and let out a scream.

In hindsight, El Muerte should have seen her shock as being an inevitable fact as he found himself staring at the princess he thought he would never see again. His mind felt hazy as frantic thoughts of panic and shock at the situation and anger at Xibalba crowded his thoughts that he barely had time to do much of anything before Star's screams broke him out of his shocked state. He saw Amelia and the other women servants jump into action and began to console the poor princess as she ranted on about Marco and the color of his eyes.

He sighed in sadness as he watched the display and began to walk over to the servant that had accompanied Star to the Land of the Remembered, a long time servant of Xibalba's Emilio. The lost being immediately straightened up as soon as he saw the ruler approach him and El Muerte knew that if Emilio was still alive, he would be sweating bullets. While El Muetre's face seemed to show nothing but a calm expression, on the inside his anger was boiling very near the surface and threated to show a rare show of anger to the surrounding crowd and his traumatized guest.

"Emilio," El Muerte said with a ton that displayed barely controlled anger, "Why, pray tell, is there a mortal Mewni princess in the Land of the Remembered?" Emilio gulped in nervousness at the King's towering form and stuttered out, "Um, well you see your um Majesty Xibalba made a deal that allowed for the girl to be here." When El Muerte heard the word "deal" immediately the crowd quieted, even Star and the servants consoling her.

El Muerte's height, which he usually kept at the normal height of his citizens, began to grow drastically at Emilio's poor explanation. Before he knew it, he found himself at Xiblba's normal height and leaned over the cowering servant as he said icily., "Who did Xibalba make a DEAL with Emilio?" Emilio, who now had his back pressed to the floor as he stared up at the usually benevolent ruler, cried out in fear, "He made a deal with the Mewni Rulers, my King! He promised to help them with a threat that could destroy their kingdom, but Xibalba made the deal to where he got the girl without having to keep his word! I'm sorry, my King!"

El Muerte felt rage overtake his body as he saw the candles on his hat and his shoulders begin to burn a bright yellow color as his anger boiled over and threated to consume him. "WHAT!" he screamed as a light began to emit from his body. "Oh shit, everyone down!" Amelia shouted as she saw what was about to occur. The servants and Star took cover, along with the small crowd that had gathered. "XI-BAL-BA!", El Muerte screamed as an explosion of light took place destroying the carriage and burning anything plant like in the explosion's path. Just as quickly as the explosion came, it was gone as El Muerte began to say softly, "Ok, Ok I'm calm. I'm calm now." He took a deep breath and looked back at Emilio, who had received a large amount of the blast and was currently black with smoke and still had a piece of his hair on fire. "Emilio, I want you to return to the Land of the Forgotten and make sure that Xibalba knows he needs to be here, THIS EVENING, to met with me." He ran his hands over his face and said exasperated, "It appears I'm going to have to fix this mess he has created. Do you understand?" Emilio, who had managed to pick himself off of the floor, stuttered out, "Of course El Muerte!" El Muerte sighed and spoke "Good," and with a flip of his hand the carriage was repaired. "Now go, before I lose my patience with you." Emilio scampered over to the carriage quickly, paused, and spoke hesitantly as the ruler was walking away, "Oh, Xibalba also wanted to me to send you his regards and that he hopes you enjoy his surprise." El Muerte who was walking towards Star and the female sevants as he said this, only muttered darkly, "Of course he does." Emilio laughed nervously and was off in a flash back towards the dark kingdom.

Somehow, although he felt more in the mood to run in the opposite direction of the clearly rattled princess, his feet found his way over to Star, Amelia and the other female servants. He coughed to gain their attention and all the faces turned to look at him, one in particular he couldn't gather the courage to look at. "I believe the princess and I have quite a bit to discuss. You are all dismissed." The servants bowed their heads and took Star's luggage to her room, while Amelia looked back worriedly at El Muerte before following the others into the castle.

He felt Star's stunned expression on his form and cringed as she said, "Marco…..is that….. really you?" He sighed as he gathered the courage to look her in the eyes and found himself saying softly, "Yes it is….I'm sorry." Star stayed quiet and Marco feared that she would become distraught again, but instead she sighed and stated, "I think….. we ….both have a lot of explaining to do. To each other, of course." El Muerte sighed, rubbing his forehead as the once forgotten hangover headache decided to make its appearance after his explosion, and said, "Yes, I think we do." He extended his arm to point towards the castle's main door and followed after Star as she made her way towards the castle as the colors and happiness of his kingdom continued on below, unaware of the looming threat, waiting for a chance to strike.


	6. Update

**First off I would like to thank all the wonderful reviews and feedback from my readers. I love that ya'll find this story so interesting and it really helps keep me going. I started a University Physics class that lasts up until August 3 and I had no idea how much work it would be. I have homework due almost everyday and exams every week. When it comes to my writing, I'm a firm believer in quality not quantity, so I hope ya'll can understand why I won't be posting a new chapter until I can give it my very best attention. I will post a new chapter August 3, but I couldn't bare making ya'll wait for something that won't be coming for a good while. Thanks again so much for all the support!**

 **-BlueStarlord1519**


	7. Chapter 6

**Wow, I said I would post a new chapter on the 3** **rd** **and end up posting it on the 5** **th** **….my bad. I actually spent Thursday half asleep all day and my final on Wednesday was from 5:30-7:30. However, I got a B in the class and only have one more final on Tuesday before all of my summer school is over! Anyway, I hope ya'll enjoy this long awaited next chapter and I plan on having the next one up on the 10** **th** **! Thanks again for ya'lls patience! It's going to take awhile for Star and Marco to feel comfortable with one another again and this chapter will have them really letting out pent up emotions and anger so be warned!**

Star Butterfly followed dutifully behind the still highly aggravated King as he led her into the heart of the enormous castle. She could hear him muttering angrily to himself as they continued along the brightly halls and seemed to be doing everything he possibly could from having to look behind him and see her. Deciding not to feel hurt by this, Star instead occupied herself by looking at the castle scenery and admiring its beauty. The walls were painted with bright colors and paintings on happy skeletons and fiestas littered the hallways. Plants were everywhere and made the rooms light up with life, while Marigolds seemed to float endlessly throughout the entire castle. Even though she was in a realm of death, it felt more alive then her home dimension of Mewni ever could.

She was so preoccupied with her internal musings that she didn't notice that she and Marco had come to a stop and that the woman servant (Amelia was her name?), was speaking in a low tone to Marco, occasionally glancing at Star as they conversed. As fast as the conversation started it ended and Amelia came over to Star and gave her a soft smile and said, "Princess Star, we put all of your belongings in a guest room and hope that you enjoy your stay here." She then turned to Marco, who was still trying his hardest to not face Star, and said, "I expect you to show her where her room is, El Muerte." Although she couldn't see his face, she could hear his sputtering as he tried to protest. Amelia instead just began to walk away, ignoring the excuses Marco was spilling out. When she had disappeared from view he let out a sigh and turned to her, still making sure his face was out of view as he opened a door and said softly, "We can speak in here. It will be more private." Star simply nodded and passed by him, trying her hardest to not shiver from the cold his body was emitting. She walked in and found a plush chair to sit on and waited for Marco to walk into the quaint room nervousness eating away at her insides.

El Muerte had chosen the room he and Star were currently in for a few reasons. One, it was the most sparingly decorated room in the castle and reminded of his former home in Echo Creek. Second, it had a fireplace and a shell shocked Star appeared to need some type of heat to calm her down. Her reaction had shaken him slightly and he tired his hardest not to be hurt by her discomfort, but to no avail. Finally, it was one of the few rooms he felt comfortable enough in that he could change forms should he need to. With Star, it probably would be a better choice considering how she had reacted to his godly appearance. He waited outside the room as she sat and waited expectantly and let out a sigh of frustration and annoyance that Xibalba had caused this to happen. He had been perfectly content with his new life (well as content as he could be) and had been adamant about keeping his old life separated from this one in fear of his family and friends getting hurt. It didn't matter now anyway, what he might have wanted. Star was here now and she deserved some type of explanation. With a simply wave of his hand and a flurry of Marigolds, Marco Diaz stepped out of the shadows and sat down in the chair across from Star, watching her gap in surprise amusingly at his human form. "Marco?! I thought...You were..?!" He took a calming breath and stated calmly, "As a God with magic I have the ability to change my appearance at will. This form is simply just how I would have looked at this age as a human. Or, at least, what I can assume. I never did find out." El Muerte winched at his bluntness and scolded himself for causing an embarrassed flush to cross Star's face. She was quiet before softly speaking. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted the way that I did. Both times. But Marco what happened? Please tell me. I'm so confused." He looked away from her desperate expression and let out a sigh. Gods, all he seemed to be doing was sighing today. Instead of answering her pleas and looked back at her, a flash of red-yellow crossing his otherwise brown eyes as he simply stated, "Well, why don't we start with why you left. Then, we begin with what happened to me." Star flinched at his slightly angry reply and said softly. "My parents were angry with me about the destruction of the wand. We were never able to find the missing half and they suspected our enemies have it, which makes Mewni vulnerable in their eyes. They only let me stay on Earth as long as I did because they were spending that time trying to ensure Mewni's safety with a either a better trained army or a new weapon. They were frustrated and felt I was incapable of doing anything correctly when it came to being a princess and the future Queen." At this point, Star paused and thought back to that night when her parents had called her foolish and demanded she begin behaving properly. Their anger had been unlike anything she had ever seen before and it still haunted her. She continued softly, " After the argument they demanded I return to Mewni and I did. Simple as that." She looked away from Marco's calculating look and heard him state with anger and hurt coloring his tine, "And you felt that it was just ok to forget that you had people on Earth who cared about you? Was it so much to just say goodbye?"

At this point, Star immediately went on offense and snapped back, "I had a responsibility Marco! My kingdom needed me to be its protector and I failed at that by causing the destruction of the one thing that could have protected them! I had to grow up and act the way I was supposed to not the way I wanted to!" She looked at him angrily and snapped, "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You don't know what its like to have so much responsibility! You're no better than me anyway! All I did was disappear! At least I didn't become some undead King like you!" She immediately felt ill as soon as the statement left her mouth and tried to find words as she looked over at Marco. He had a cold, deadpanned expression on his face and a dangerous glint in his eyes as he looked at her pointingly. "For a princess whose supposed to have been spending the past 3 years working a being a better royal, you are doing a very poor job," he nearly spat out. " News flash Star, I didn't get a choice with what I became, who I am now. You did! I didn't tell anyone what happened to me because I feared what my enemies would do to them. I was thrust into this position of ruling and had to pick it up as I went along. I didn't get the privilege of parents who helped me. You may think that what you have been having to deal with has been hard but guess what! I'm not even human anymore! I'm basically dead and you want to tell me I don't know what it feels like to have the world on your shoulders! I thought I could tell about what happened to me, but you don't deserve to know." He stood up abruptly and returned to his godly form he walked to the door. Before turning the handle he made a point to look at the tear stained face of the girl he once admired so much in the eyes and hissed, "I'll have Amelia take you to your room. I will get you home and we can go back to our lives." He then proceeded to walk out and slam the door behind him, leaving behind a sobbing princess.

 **I know ya'll might be mad at this chapter but understand! Star is under the impression that what she has been going through has been awful and tends to have a temper, which provoked hurtful words. Plus, Marco is still a little upset about her initial reaction towards him and feels angry that she reacted so defensively. They have to learn to be friends again (and maybe even love each other hint hint)**


	8. Chapter 7

**I was so happy to hear that ya'll enjoyed the latest chapter so much! I know it was short, but I really wanted to give ya'll something to read since I was behind on posting! I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter and support our American athletes in Rio! Keep the reviews coming! Now on to the back story of Amelia and what happened to Marco (as told by Amelia)!**

Amelia knew the second that she heard raised voices and the slamming of a door that El Muerte's meeting with his long lost friend hadn't gone as planned. She internally cringed as she heard his boots clanking angrily across the polished floors and sighed as she realized the other sound she heard was quiet sobbing from the room he had just vacated. Amelia walked silently over to the door and reached for the ornate handle, only to pause as she felt hesitation rush through her mind.

How could she possibly comfort this poor girl who had been uprooted from her life and forced to accept the mess that was El Muerte's current existence? She had heard the conversation and knew that El Muerte had every right to be angry, but so did the princess and both deserved to feel sadness, just in different ways. Nostalgia rushed through her mind as she remembered comforting her younger sister the same way that she planned on comforting Star ever so long ago before her death. Her younger sister, Sofia, was a gentle soul who had felt the pain of those around her and Amelia could only dare to imagine how her death at only 22 affected her younger sister. To find out years later that the new King was her sister's only child spurred her to help him and support him in ways that her sister no longer could. She loved her nephew dearly, but cursed the Sanchez in him that kept him stubborn and pigheaded in situations of the heart, especially since he seemed to guard it so closely these days.

Pushing aside her inner struggle, Amelia opened the door and walked quietly into the room. Star simply glanced up at her briefly before she began to sob all over again and Amelia sighed internally at the situation in front of her. She sat down next to her and said softly, "You know, he really didn't have a choice. His fate was sealed long before his birth." At this simple declaration, Star's head shot up and she wiped away a stray tear and said, "Why didn't he have a choice? I don't understand." Amelia picked up one of the many marigolds in a vase beside Star and her, glancing at its yellow-gold petals. Then she began her tale.

"Long ago there were three rulers that ruled the lands of the dead. There was the Candle Maker, who created the candles that represented an individual's life and protected the Book of Life, where all the stories of everyone who has ever lived are written. There was Xibalba, the ruler of the Land of the Forgotten and the one who made the deal with your parents. He views mortals as being beneath him and loved no one except his wife, the last ruler. Her name was La Muerte and she ruled the Land of the Remembered before Marco. Now, La Muerte and Xibalba were very much in love but enjoyed a constant power struggle in the form of making wagers over situations and even people. The deal was always to switch kingdoms, which Xibalba wanted very much to happen. He was never successful, until he cheated on a wager involving one Manolo Sanchez, Marco's and my ancestor." At Star's stunned look she said softly, "I'm his mother's older sister…..he doesn't know." Star looked at her in understanding and nodded her head, indicating that she wanted Amelia to continue. Amelia continued, "It was during this struggle that Manolo lost his life and then gained it back through his heroism and courage. La Muerte was so impressed that she made it final that if she failed the have an heir should her death ever come into reality that a Sanchez child would inherit her throne. However, she never could have predicted that a danger loomed over her kingdom and would force her to use so much of her power to vanquish it that it would cause her to slowly wither away and die. She never could have known that a Sanchez would ever have to take the throne and sadly, that Sanchez was Marco. My sister was never told the tale of La Muerte's promise and I honestly thought it was all a fairy tale until I ended up down here. As soon as La Muerte died, Marco was taken from his home, not long after you left actually, and was brought to the Land of the Remembered where he was to accept the responsibility of the crown. However, La Muerte wanted her heir to have a choice and made it to where he couldn't be forced to accept the daunting responsibility, but instead could decide out of his own free will. Marco was smart enough to know that without a ruler, the Land of the Remembered would cease to exist, so he accepted the role and became King at the price of his family and his humanity." Star was looking down at her hands after Amelia paused and voiced a question she knew would come up. "If a Sanchez had to rule, why couldn't one of his family members who was already here become the ruler?" Amelia gave a small, sad smile to the princess and said, "La Muerte made it to where only a living Sanchez could become the ruler and Marco was the best choice out of all the descendants of Manolo and his wife Maria. La Muerte hand picked him as her successor, but felt guilt until her very last day about what she was taking away from him. Honestly, that's not even the worst part about everything that happened to him." Star tilted her head and whispered, "What was the worst part?" Amelia fought back the tears that threatened to fall and stated softly, "In order for Marco to become El Muerte, he didn't just give up his home and family. He had to give up his very life and essentially had to die in order to become immortal and be gifted with La Muerte's powers and her kingdom. That's why he became so angry with you Star and it's not your fault that you didn't know. Just know that it will take time for him to forgive you fully." Star's eyes, while still letting out streams of tears from her eyes, glanced up at Amelia with hope and spoke softly, "Do you think he will forgive me Amelia? After saying the things that I did and the hurt I caused him?" Amelia merely smiled and stood up, with Star following swiftly after her. Amelia put her arms around the princess in a soft hug and whispered, "I know he will Star; he cares deeply about you and has to kind of a heart to leave things the way they are. I guarantee it. Now, why don't I show you your room?" Amelia's reply was a soft smile and a "I would like that very much," as Amelia lead Star out of the room and down the corridor, with the marigold laying forgotten on the couch along with all of Star's troubles and sadness.


	9. Chapter 8

**Wow. I can't believe that a school year has passed and I neglected this story. I am so sorry to all of my readers but hope I can make it up to y'all. My sophomore year of college was CRAZY but over! I will be going to Germany all of July, so I'm going to upload this chapter and hopefully write a few more so I can upload them while I'm in Europe. I am so sorry for making my loyal readers wait, so I hope this chapter stirs y'alls interest!**

El Muerte found himself slamming the door behind him as he entered his living quarters. The wood nearly shattered at the force in which it hit the frame, causing El Muerte to pause his anger-fueled rampage and sigh. His strength was just another reminder that he was no longer human, no matter how many ways he changed his appearance to look like one. He never should have shied away from what he was in front of Star. When Amelia or his mother's family questioned him about his transcendence to godhood, he always told them he didn't remember anything. But that was a lie.

Marco Diaz remembered what it felt like to die. He remembered the feeling of his body being taken apart and put back together, changing and warping him into something inhuman. He remembered his screams, piercing and full of pain as he changed. He remembered waking up and not feeling his own heartbeat, touching his face to feel its changed surface. He remembered his quiet sobs for the loss of his humanity. El Muerte shook his head, forcing his mind to return to the present and focus on the situation Xibalba had left him with. One Star Butterfly. He found himself groaning internally and unceremoniously falling into an ornately crafted chair. He folded his hands and placed his chin on top of them as he began to think deeply, pushing out past memories and what had occurred with Star.

He had been a god of death long enough to know that whatever Xibalba was doing, there was a reason and countless broken hearts and bodies left behind from one of his deals. El Muerte usually tolerated playing housemaid when it came to fixing Xibalba's messes and stayed silent, but this time he couldn't find it in himself to let this slide. He knew something must have caused some sort of deal to occur with either Star or her parents and he dared to say it might have been desperation. Xibalba always found a loophole to his deals, however, which worried El Muerte. If something was truly wrong in the dimension of Mewni, there would be little hope of any help from the death god. Before he could ponder farther, he heard the sound of wings and the darkening of the room as the object of his thoughts manifested in his kingdom. He sighed as he heard Xibalba's soft laugh, noting with little relief that at least he wouldn't have to make a trip to the Land of the Forgotten now.

Xibalba looked over the tense, young monarch and almost let out a chuckle of amusement at the boys barely contained fury. He had predicted the boy would be less than pleased at his gift and decided to seek him in his own kingdom, so as to leave him a little less on guard and little more willing to listen without bursting into flames, something Xibalba found annoying and all too familiar. He looked around at the elaborate rooms, noting lightly and with a slight pang in his heart that the decorations were slightly different from the last time he was here. When she….no. He could not let his mind wander from the seething individual in front of him. He decided to begin the conversation, letting a smile grace his face. "So, how is dear Princess Butterfly adjusting to her new surroundings? Must be quite odd for you to see her again, yes?" He said this all the while watching the young gods face for any signs of emotions, disappointed when all he saw was a quiet anger and discontent.

"Xibalba", El Muerte began and Xibalba barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the lecturing tone in the boy's voice, "You know as well as I do that LIVING humans are not allowed in any land of death. She should not be here." Xibalba didn't hold back his laugh and decided to elaborate at the boy's now narrowing scowl. "Tch. Tch. Tch. Of course my dear boy how could I have been so idiotic! Bringing a living human into the Land of the Remembered…..but, oh wait! She's not actually human is she, hmm? After all, she is a MEWNI princess and her people are quite different aren't they? Growing wings for puberty, glowing checks, I'm sure you understand" Xibaba only chuckled as the boy realized his loophole to an eons long rule and began to make his leave, before pausing. "Give my regards to the young girl and do tell her to become comfortable. After all, Mewni won't be around much longer." El Muerte was broken from his angry acceptance to Xibalba's explanation by Xibalba's departing words. "Wait!" He called, "What do you mean Mewni won't be around much longer? What will happen?"

Xibalba actually sighed as if pained as he turned away from the open balcony to look at the young King and El Muerte was shocked by the sympathy in his red skull eyes. "The Princess's parents made a deal that if I helped them stop the great evil that was coming to their land, they would allow their daughter to come to the Land of the Remembered as a representative to her kingdom. However, the deal stated if I COULD help and I can't. No one can. The kingdom of Mewni is doomed, but I saved your dear princess from the same fate as her people." He looked at the horrified face of El Muerte and knew it would take some time for the boy to forgive him. However, he didn't regret his choice to save the one person who could make the boy happy.

"Xibalba all of those people…Star's parents… you can't just… can anything be done? Please I need to know," El Muerte pleaded softly, all prior thoughts of anger forgotten as cold ice filled El Muerte' s body with dread at the truth in Xibalba's words. Xibalba turned away back to the balcony and stated sadly, "Only the death gods of Mewni could possibly have an answer. But, they turned their backs to the people of Mewni ages ago. Go look for them if you wish, but don't expect their help. I'm sorry." With that final declaration and a heavy heart, Xibalba became black feathers and took off to the Land of the Forgotten, leaving El Muerte frozen where he stood and his mind full of horror.

He was broken from his horrified trance by the opening of a door. He turned and saw Amelia looking at him in concern. "El Muerte, I got Princess Star situated in her quarters. Is something wrong?" El Muerte swallowed and cleared his throat before stating, "I'm not sure yet, but I'm going to take a trip to Mewni. Will you show Star around for me while I'm gone?" Amelia's eyebrow shot up at the mention of Star's home dimension but simply said, "Of course", before leaving and closing the door to the bedroom of a King, who for the first time in his reign, felt completely out of his element and very afraid.

 **Sorry no romance just yet! I felt the need to move the plotline along. I will update as soon as I can. Reviews are awesome and super appreciated! Thanks for reading.**


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